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For Immediate Release
Monday, July 22, 1996
Contact: Kelly McCown
tel: (415) 665-0336h, (415)981-3000w
e-mail: sk8away@hooked.net
San Francisco, CA -- (July 14, 1996) Until yesterday, San Francisco speedskater Kelly McCown, 33, had never raced farther than 85 miles, the length of the prestigious Athens to Atlanta ultramarathon, which she won last October, setting a new race record. If there was any doubt, McCown yesterday proved her abilities in the ultramarathon distance by winning the 97-mile Bridge to Boardwalk race from San Francisco to Santa Cruz, finishing in a time of 8 hours, 29 minutes, and 24 seconds. Bridge to Boardwalk, currently the longest in-line skating race being held in America, is the brainchild of David Miles, of the California Outdoor Rollerskating Association. In its fourth year, the race traverses some of the Bay Area's most beautiful scenery and challenging terrain.
"I had no idea that the race would be this tough," said McCown, reflecting on her victory. "This race makes Athens to Atlanta look like a cakewalk."
What happened was that McCown and Team Twincam teammate Anna Stubbs were working together and in the lead pack until they hit the climb up Burlingame's Trousdale Blvd. "There, Eddy [Matzger] and Dan [Burger], also of Team Twincam, made their move and charged up the hill, splitting the pack." McCown and Stubbs hung together until just before the 50k point, when Stubbs sprinted across as the first woman across the line, winning the 50k portion of the race. "I was sorry to see Anna finish the 50k," McCown laughed. "It was hard to stay motivated for the next 65 miles, skating alone."
The next decisive moment came a few miles later on the dreaded Kings Mountain Road, a winding uphill climb through Woodside that stretches for five miles. "I tried to keep a consistent pace," said McCown. "I was able to pace myself well with my Polar heart rate monitor and that made the race a success for me. The hill was relentless, so you'd keep hoping for a slight downhill to give your legs a rest, but there was none." Halfway up Kings Mountain, McCown caught Joey Gatchalian, a skater who had fallen off the pack ahead. "Joey was pretty dehydrated. I gave him some water out of my Camelbak, and then continued up the hill." McCown was, at this point, ninth overall in the race.
From the top of Kings Mountain, and a short climb up Skyline, McCown started the 12-mile descent down twisty Highway 84. "Parts of the descent were pretty fast," she admits. "I was grateful to have a support van on my tail. They held the cars off and made it possible for me to take the turns wider and at my own speed." From there McCown started what was for her the toughest part of the race: the 38 remaining miles to Santa Cruz up Highway 1.
"Highway 1 was an experience I'm not looking forward to repeating," McCown said, "at least not on my own. It was hard to stay mentally focused with cars speeding by at 50 mph just a few feet to my left." Highway 1's hills and rough pavement sections, which come at a time when fatigue really starts to set in, make this stretch of the race particularly challenging for many skaters. "I just kept pushing myself. When I felt like giving up, I would just think about how great it would feel to finish, eat another Gu, and keep on skating." Gu was a godsend to McCown in this race. She estimates that she ate at least 20 over the 8 and one-half hours she skated. "I'd pass the SAG stations and see these bagels lying there. While the idea of a bagel was fine, there was no way I could eat one. Gu was perfect for this kind of endurance event."
McCown continued her solo effort all the way to Santa Cruz, passed only by Gatchalian just before Davenport. "Joey skated up and told me that we only had two miles to go, when in reality we were still over 15 miles from the finish. It was a mean trick, but it gave me a real burst of energy. From there it was just a matter of hanging in there until the finish," said McCown.
When she's not skating, McCown supports herself as an immigration lawyer with San Francisco's Van Der Hout & Brigagliano. She and teammate Anna Stubbs also co-founded the women's skating club Roller Divas last November. "Creating Roller Divas has been one of my most satisfying accomplishments during the past year. We've started the first women's roller hockey league in San Francisco, and taught over 200 women how to skate." Best of all, says McCown, "the club is turning into what we hoped for, a supportive network where women can pursue skating for competition or fitness." The club, which has some 70 members, publishes a monthly newsletter and offers instruction for all levels of skaters.
McCown hopes to continue racing with the help of companies like Twincam and Kryptonics. "I raced from San Francisco to Santa Cruz on Kryptonics Diablo 78 durometer wheels and Twincam ABEC-5 bearings. It was a great combination."